ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani promised to secure a lasting settlement between Erbil and Baghdad if his party gains greater influence in federal politics, speaking at a campaign rally in Erbil on Saturday.
“It is we, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, that go to Baghdad and make a permanent agreement with the Baghdad government so that this anxiety and pain in your heart leaves,” he said.
Talabani has highlighted the PUK’s regional ties throughout the campaign, pointing to relationships with Kurdish parties in Syria, Iran, and Turkey, as well as close coordination with neighboring governments. The PUK also maintains strong links with parties in Baghdad, particularly the Shiite-led Coordination Framework that backs Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani. The party presents itself as a counterweight to the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in both the Kurdistan Region and federal politics.
Budget and Baghdad ties
Talabani vowed to fix the Kurdistan Region’s financial relationship with Baghdad by resurrecting the budget arrangement that existed before Erbil began to independently export oil, saying his party will “restore the Kurdistan budget to how it was in 2004 to 2013.”
“It has to be as it was back then today, if not better,” he added.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) began independent oil exports to global markets in 2013 via Turkey’s Ceyhan port, angering Baghdad under then-Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The federal government cut the Region’s 17 percent budget share in 2014, triggering a financial crisis as the war against the Islamic State (ISIS) intensified and large numbers of displaced Iraqis and Syrian refugees arrived in the Kurdistan Region.
“We will revitalize and rebuild the bridges they burnt with Baghdad,” Talabani said, without naming any party.
Pollution and fuel
He criticized illegal oil refineries and promised to improve fuel quality and reduce air pollution.
“We have to save you from that stinky smoke,” he said, promising that a PUK-led government would ensure affordable fuel and curb pollution “so that your air clears up.”
Erbil’s air quality is frequently ranked “unhealthy” by the Swiss monitoring platform IQAir. The air is contaminated by emissions from refineries, private generators, and aging vehicles using low-quality fuel. Authorities have pledged crackdowns and hundreds of refineries have been shut in recent years, though many later resume operations. The government’s Runaki program to provide 24-hour electricity has slashed demand for diesel-burning private generators that are heavy polluters.
Minorities and protection
Talabani also spoke to minority communities, pledging protection and political support.
Addressing Christians, he said, “We will defend you, we will be your ally. We will stand with you shoulder to shoulder and defend you. We will protect you, your religion, your language and your land.”
“Not only in Baghdad, it is a promise, we will turn this into an international issue, and we will start from America,” he added.
Iraq’s Christian population has dropped from around 1.5 million before 2003 to fewer than 300,000, according to figures the Chaldean Archbishop of Erbil shared with Rudaw in February. The real number is believed to be lower.
Talabani also addressed Turkmens, saying their legal and cultural rights had not been fulfilled. “We will defend your politics, culture, and language.”
“We will defend you and your rights just as we defend Kurds and the rights of Kurds,” he said.
Governance and reform
With the federal election 10 days away, Talabani said he intends to spend more time in the Kurdistan Region capital. “I am intending to be in Erbil myself at least once a week,” he said.
He also addressed the year-long stalemate over forming the next KRG cabinet, saying the PUK will not join without firm guarantees on reform and power-sharing.
“Why do we not have a new cabinet? For you. We will not enter a system that differentiates between our people,” he said.
The Kurdistan Region held elections for its regional parliament in October 2024, but the parties have yet to agree on a government. Parliament has met on just one occasion.